Woven Thoughts

Thursday, February 28, 2013

The Payoff

Persistence does pay off. Remember this post? I have one picture of the thing in question:

That's all I will say about it, other than it really really really did not work. I showed it to one person, Lynn, and she agreed: it did not work (this is why we like honest friends).

But you might remember this post too, and I mean it when I say "get up and do it again".

So I began to slowly dissect the Thing, taking off one bit at a time. As each bit came off, I could see possibilities, and new ways to put it back together. I had some ideas as I worked, and thought I had a plan in place when I someone mentioned a "square bottom bag", and I knew that was the answer.

And so, yesterday, I made a new spindle bag:

It's handspun silk, fabric, band and drawstring, lined with commercial silk, trimmed with commercial velvet and piping, and I totally love it:

It works, it's nice looking, it was worth the wait.

I have parts left over. I have plans for them too, so out of one bag there will be two. I can't wait to get started on the next bag: isn't it fun, the anticipation, the creation and the reveal? Even to me, the reveal is always a surprise: it works! Yay! Fun!

Thursday, February 21, 2013

A New Day Comes

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Recharge

It can be hard to keep going, slog on, at whatever it is I am supposed to be doing. Sometimes, I need to take a day out to recharge.

I went to a gallery opening and lecture of the tapestries of DY Begay. Her talk was a quiet affirmation of why she weaves, her love of the area in which she lives, and of her family and heritage of sheep, dyeing and weaving.

Her work is contemporary, but in the Navajo style of weaving, and based in the traditions of her grandmothers' weaving.

As she spoke, she wove the connections of her family, her place and her people into the narrative, giving us a glimpse of her sources of inspiration, and the familial connections that infuse her work: sometimes it's a comment made by a child or family member that steers the design or the name of the piece, sometimes it's a reference to a traditional pattern or a work based on the colors of the land, dyed from the plants of the land.

It was a quietly revealing and inspiring talk given by a woman who knows her true place, and her value, along the continuum of weavers, mothers, Dine, and desert dwellers.

Then we had dinner, and I listened to a friend, a musician, who spoke of her realization, after years and years of playing professionally, in orchestras, and quartets, having earned advanced degrees in music, that she is truly good at what she does, that she can lead a section in the orchestra, and knows the underlying feeling of how a piece should be played, not just how to hit the notes, and bang out music.

What a gift to know these people, to listen to them, and reflect with them on how, through years of effort, they have attained a measure of competence, and grace in that competence: no need to trumpet or proclaim, just quiet acceptance of the value of long practice, of deep understanding, of infusing a life with a certain perspective, a certain voice, if you will, through all the competing, chattering noise.

A day away, a conversation, a week away, a long car trip, a ride in that skinny tube we call an airplane, these can be useful times of reflection, whether in conversation with like minds, or in quiet. They help recharge, help remind me why I am doing what I do.

Monday, February 11, 2013

Due Dates

I have been busy with several-many deadlines, all of which seem to be piling up in a heap these next few weeks. I agreed to all of them though, so I've no one to blame but myself if I am feeling squished for time.

Well, while I agreed to all of them, and some of them have their own, pressing, time frame:
Heh. "Pressing". I made a joke :)

Hats and blankies for the new grandbaby, who does not care about my deadlines and will come when he may (he's not here yet. I am not late for his debut!). His Mama wanted hats and blankets for a photo shoot very early on in his little life, so these will be winging their way out to be there when he arrives.

Two blankets, one knit and one woven, out of organic cotton yarns, one hat crocheted (! me!) out of organic cotton yarn, and one hat out of wild textured yarn. Also, some velvet, for a backdrop. They get popped in the mail tomorrow (heh. "popped").